Message-box.



B. J AHNK MESSAGE BOX.

APPLIGATION FILED DEC. 7, 1909.

1,010,91 6. Patented Dec. 5, 1911. 4 10 CDLUMHIA PLANOURAPH c0.,wASHINuToN, D. c.

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BERTI-IOLD JAI-IN, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT.

MESSAGE-BOX.

Specification of 'Letters Patent.

Application filed December 7, 1909.

Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

Serial No. 531,818.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BER'rHoLD JAHN, a citizen of the United States, residing at'New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful MessagerBox, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a message box.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of message boxes, and to provide a simple, inexpensive and eflicient message box, designed principally for office use, and equipped with means arranged to hold a card in convenient position to have a message written on it, and capable of feeding the card bearing the message into the box and of presenting a blank card for the next message.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificingany of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing :Figure 1 is an elevation of a combination mail and message box, constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional View of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view, taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view, taken substantially on the line 4 -4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a'detail horizontal sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the catch for securing the lid in its closed position. Fig.7 is a detail perspective view of the removable front side or wall of the card receptacle. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of one of the card feeding levers. Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of the approximately T-shaped connecting plate or member.

Like numerals of'reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing.

1 designates a combination mail and message box, constructed of sheet metal, or other suitable material and provided at the top with a hinged lid 2, preferably set at aninclination and extending downwardly and forwardly so as to form a convenient rest for the hand in writing a message upon the top card of a series or stack 3. The top card is exposed through an opening 4 in the lid, which is preferably beaded around the opening as shown, but it may be of any other preferred construction. The opening 4 is of asize slightly less than the size of the cards to prevent the latter from being extracted through the opening. The cards are arranged within a vertical receptacle 5, oblong in horizontal section and provided at the upper edges of the end walls with angularly bent attaching flanges 6, forming guiding grooves or ways 7 for card feeding levers 8. The upper edge 9 of the rear side wall is fitted against a frame 10, which carries the card supporting and feeding mechanism and which is riveted or otherwise secured to the lower'face of the lid of the mail and message box. This closes the card receptacle at the back. The front side or wall 11 of the card receptacle has its side edges bent inwardly to form approximately L- shaped engaging flanges 12,.which slidably engage or receive laterallyextending flanges 13 of the end walls. The frontside wall, which is removable to enable the cards to be placed in the receptacle, is cut away at the upper portion to provide a recess 14 to enable the cards to be readily seen, so that they may be replenished before they are entirely exhausted. The lower edge of the removable front wall 11 is provided with a projecting lug or flange, forming afinger piece 15 and adapted to enable the front side wall 11 to'be readily slipped off the receptacle. The upper edge 16 of the removable wall 11 terminates short of the frame of the attaching frame 10 to provide an opening for the passage of the cards, and the latter are engaged by springs 17, which terminate short of the lower face of the top card to permit the latter to be fed forwardly by. the levers 8. .The springs 17, which are located at one side of the card receptacle or casing, clamp or press the cards against the opposite side of the same and retain all the cards of the stack inplace except the topv card and prevent more than one card from being discharged from the holder at each operation of the feeding mechanism.

The cards are supported by a vertically movable follower '18, set at an inclination to support the individual cards in an inclined position, and provided with depending guide rods 19, extending through opposite ears 20 and receiving coiled springs '21, interposed between the ears 20 and the lower face of the follower. The coiled springs yieldably support the follower and move the same upwardly as the cards are used and fed into the combination mail and message box. The follower is provided at its front edge with notches or recesses 17 to prevent the follower from interfering with the operation of the springs 17 in engaging the cards. The lugs 20 are formed integral with and extend horizontally from the lower edges of the end walls of the card receptacle. The follower is equipped with a catch 22, pivoted at its upper end by a pin or rivet 23 in a bifurcation of a lug or stud 24c, and having a lower head adapted to engage the lower edge of the rear wall of the card receptacle, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawing, when the follower is moved downward. This will maintain the follower in its lowered position against the action of the coiled springs, while the cards are being placed within the receptacle. The catch is maintained in engagement with the rear wall of the receptacle by means of a spring 25, secured at one end to the catch and having itsother end bearing against the follower. After the cards have been placed within the receptacle, the catch is disengaged from the lower edge of the rear wall of the same to permit the springs to move the follower upwardly into engage: ment with the stack of cards.

The card engaging or feeding levers 8 are of bell crank or approximately L-shape form, and they have rearwardly extending card engaging arms, operating in the guides 7 and provided at their rear ends with inwardly extending lugs or teeth 26 of a thickness to engage the rear edge of a single card for carrying the same forwardly to a position in front of the card receptacle. The card is expelled from the levers 8 and is caused to fall into the lower portion of the combination mail and message box by means of a bowed spring 27, mounted at an opening 28 of the attaching frame and having its terminals 29 connected with the same at the front and back of the opening 28.

The terminals 29 of the bowed spring are preferably arranged in recesses of the attaching plate and are bent downward and engaged with slots 30, but any other attaching means may be employed. The card feeding levers also have inwardly extending transversely disposed arms, pivoted by rivets 31, or other suitable fastening means to a slide 32, extending across the attaching frame and having enlarged ends mounted in suitable guides 33. The guides preferably consist of parallel plates havingtheir inner edges angularly bent to form grooves for the slide. The ends of the transverse arms are provided with recesses 34, which loosely receive laterally extending lugs 35 of an approximately T-shaped connecting piece 36. The connecting piece 36 is provided with terminal recesses 37, which loosely receive rivets 38 of the slide. This construction provides a loose connection between the plate 36, the slide and the card engaging and feeding levers. The plate 36 is also connected by a pin or rivet 39 to a short link 40, which is pivoted by a pin or rivet 41 to the inner end of an operating lever 42, fulcrumed at an intermediate point on the attaching frame 10 by a suitable pivot 43 and having an outer or operating arm extending through registering recesses 44 and 45 of the lid and the body of the combination mail and message box. The outer arm of the lever is provided with an exterior lip or flange 46, and its inner arm is connected with a coiled spring 4L7, adapted to move the feeding mechanism inwardly after each operation. lVhen the outer arm of the lever is moved inwardly or rearwardly, the slide is drawn outwardly and carries with it the card engaging levers, which feed a card from the receptacle or casing, and when the lever is released the coiled spring 47 will return the parts to their initial position. The inward movement of the slide and the inner arm of the operating lever oscillate the card engaging levers and open the card engaging arms, and when the slide is moved forward or outward by the operating lever, the rear or inner arms of the card engaging levers are moved toward each other into engagement with a card, as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 4 of the drawing. As the card is drawn outward the slide moves over the spring 27, which is flexed or bent backward to cause the said spring to expel the card from the feeding mechanism as soon as the card is drawn outward beyond the card receiving casing.

The combination mail and message box is provided at its upper portion with a suitable slot 48 for the introduction of letters or other matter, and it is equipped wit-h an interiorly arranged inclined guard 49, forming a support for a spring actuated catch 50, which secures the lid in its closed position. The catch 50 engages a suitable lug 51, depending from the lid 2 near the free edge thereof.

A suit-able name card holding frame 52 is secured to the front of the combination mail and message box, which is also adapted to hold a transparent plate 53 of glass, celluloid, or other suitable material for covering the name card 54. This card may bear suitable information, such as the office hours of the owner, but when the combination mail and message box is used for residences the indicating mechanism hereinafter detransparent plate or disk 57. The lugs 58 extend through kerfs or slots of the front of the casing, and are clenched against the inner face of the same, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. A clock dial 559 is placed in the recess and hour and minute v hands or pointers 60 and 61 cooperate with the hour and minute graduat-ions of the dial. The hour hand or pointer is mounted on a sleeve 62, having a head 63 at its inner end and equipped with spring arms 64, which frictionally engage theinner face of the front wall of the box. The minute hand 61 is mounted on a shaft or arbor 65, extending through the sleeve 62 and equipped at its inner end with a head 66. A coiled spring 67 is disposed on the shaft or arbor 65 and is interposed between the head 66 thereof and the head 63 of the sleeve. The spring arms 64 and the coiled spring67 serve as frictional means for securing the hands 60 and 61 against accidental movement. The front of the combination mail and message box is also provided at opposite sides of the center with horizontal slots or apertures 68 and 69, preferably surrounded by beads and having the metal bent to form grooves 70 for the reception of transparent plates 71 of glass, celluloid or other transparent material. The slots or apertures 68 and 69 are adapted to expose portions of the rotary indicators 72 and 7 3, designed to bear suitable words or legends for indicating the presence, absence or whereabouts of the owner. The rotary indicators 72 and 73 are provided with disks 7 4 of paper, or other suitable material. The disk of the indicator 72 bears the words In Out and P. M. and A. M., while the other disk bears the words Out In Calls House Return and Hospital, but the indicators may bear any other'information. Each rotary indicator is mounted on a central pivot 7 5, and it is provided at opposite sides with integral lugs or projections 76, adapted to be grasped by the operator in rotating the indicators. The lugs or projections are struck up from the metal of the rotary indicators and are arranged at right angles to the inner faces thereof. The pivots 75,

I which may consist of rivets or other suitable fastening devices, receive spring plates 77 having resilient arms 78, yieldably engaging the rotary indicatorand adapted to hold the same, or rather the paper disks 74: in frictional engagement with the casing, whereby the rotary indicators are retained at any adjustment. The rotary indicators are adapted to be adjusted only from the interior, and they may be set to leave various messages for patients, clients or other patrons calling at an office.

The front of the box preferably bears the word Mail and a suitable door 79 is arranged at one side of the box.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a receptacle having an opening to expose-a card, of a card receiving casing, a spring actuated follower operable within the casing for engaging a stack of cards, means for feeding the card from the casing, and a catch carried by the follower and arranged to engage the casing for holding the follower in a retracted position against the tension of the spring to permit the casing to be filled. V

2. The combination of a card receiving casing having an opening to expose the outermost card, a spring actuated follower operating within the casing for engaging a stack of cards, and a spring actuated catch carried by the follower and arranged to automatically engage a fixed portion of the casing for holding the follower in a retracted position against the tension of the spring to permit the casing to be'filled with cards, and means for feeding the cards from the casing.

3. The combination of an upright card receptacle adapted to receive a stack of cards and open at the top to expose the outermost card, a spring actuated follower movable within the receptacle and support-ing the stack of cards, means located at the top of the receptacle for feeding the cards one at a time from the top of the stack, and spring means arranged longitudinally ofthe receptacle and operating within the same and adapted to bear against the edges of the cards to clamp the same against the opposite side of the receptacle, the upper end of the spring means being spaced from the top of the receptacle a distance approximately equal to the thickness of a card to permit the removal of the top card by the feeding means while retaining the remaining cards in place.

.4. The combination of a casing adapted to receive a stack of cards and having an opening to expose the outermost card and provided with a removable wall adapted to be detached to permit the cards to be placed within the casing, a spring actuated follower operating in the casing and adapted to engage the cards, feeding mechanism for removing the outermost card fromthe casing, and a spring carried by the removable wall of the casing and engaging the stack of cards, said spring terminating short of the outermost card to permit the same to be removed by the feeding mechanism.

5. The combination of a card receiving casing provided with an opening to expose the outermost card and having a removable wall provided with card engaging springs, a spring actuated follower operable within the casing, an automatically operable catch carried by the follower for holding the same retracted while the casing is being supplied with cards, and feeding mechanism for removing the cards from the casing.

6. The combination of a card receiving casing having an opening to expose the outermost card, and feeding mechanism including a reciprocatory slide, spaced card engaging means carried by the slide and e11- gaging the opposite edges of the card, and operating mechanism connected with the slide for reciprocating the same and including means for holding the card engaging means open away from the card during the inward movement of the slide and for closing the said card engaging means about the card during the outward movement of the slide.

7. The combination of a card receiving casing having an opening to expose the outermost card, and feeding mechanism including a reciprocatory slide, spaced card engaging means carried by the slide and engaging the opposite edges of the card, and operating mechanism connected with the slide for reciprocating the same and including means for holding the card engaging means open away from the card during the inward movement of the slide and for closing the said card engaging means about the card during the outward movement of the slide, and a spring located in the path of the cards and arranged to be flexed by the feeding mechanism and to be released by the same to cause the spring to positively expel the cards.

8. The combination of a card receiving casing having an opening to expose the outermost card, and feeding means including a reciprocatory slide, spaced pivotally mounted card engaging levers carried by the slide and engaging the opposite edges of the card, and operating mechanism connected with the slide for reciprocating the same and including means for holding the levers open away from the card during the inward movement of the slide and for closing the levers about the card during the outward movement of the slide.

9. The combination of a card receiving casing having an opening to expose the outermost card, a reciprocatory slide, pivotally mounted card engaging angle levers carried by the slide and engaging the opposite edges of the card, and an operating lever connected with the slide and also with one of the arms of each of the said levers and positively holding the card engaging levers in open position away from the card during the inward movement of the slide and oper ating to close the same about the card during the outward movement of the slide.

10. The combination of a receptacle pro vided with an opening to expose a card, a card receiving casing arranged within the receptacle at the said opening and provided at opposite sides with ways, a reciprocatory slide mounted within the receptacle beyond the casing, opposite card engaging levers carried by the slide and projecting therefrom and operating in the ways of the card receiving casing, and an operating lever connected with the slide for reciprocating the same and with the levers for holding the same open during the inward movement of the slide and closing the levers during the outward movement of the slide.

11. The combination of a card receiving casing having an opening to expose the outermost card, guides located beyond the same, a slide operating in the guides, card engaging levers pivotally connected with the slide and carried by the same and embracing the opposite edges of the card, an operating lever connected with the said levers and adapted to actuate the slide, and means for limiting the movement of the card engaging levers.

12. The combination of a card receiving casing having an opening to expose the outermost card, and feeding mechanism including a reciprocatory slide, opposite angle levers pivoted to the slide and having card engaging means at one end, a plate having a limited movementon the slide and connected with the other end of the levers, and an operating lever connected with the plate and adapted to actuate the slide and the angle levers.

13. The combination of a card receiving casing having an opening to expose the outermost card, a reciprocatory slide, opposite card engaging levers provided with recesses and pivotally mounted on the slide, a plate also provided with recesses and having lugs extending into the recesses of the levers and loosely connecting the same with the said plate, fastening means mounted on the slide and arranged in the recesses of the plate and loosely connecting the same with the slide, and operating means connected with the plate for actuating the slide and for operating the levers to cause the latter to engage a card.

14:. The combination with a card receiving casing having an opening to expose the outermost card, a reciprocatory slide, card engaging levers carried by the slide and embracing the opposite edges of the card, an operating lever connected with the slide and with the levers and holding the latter open away from the card during the inward movement of the slide and closing the levers about the card during the outward movement of the slide, and a spring connected with the operating lever for moving the slide inwardly and for maintaining the card engaging levers normally in an open position.

15. A device of the class described includ ing a card receiving casing having an opening to expose the outermost card, guides located beyond the casing, said device being open at the guides for the discharge of the cards, feeding mechanism operating in the guides and provided with gripping devices arranged to engage the opposite edges of the cards for carrying the same from the casing to the open portion of the device, and a spring located between the gripping devices of the feeding mechanism and arranged to bear upon the card between its engaged edges, whereby the spring operates to eject the cards from the feeding mechanism automatically.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

BERTHOLD JAHN.

Witnesses:

EDWARD A. J Um), ANTON J. STEINER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

